The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum
by WarriorLoverInc
Summary: "Ever since that day... it had been there. Fanning the spark of darkness in his heart, into a growing flame..." Toying with the idea of something dark taking Ash over that is himself. Sparked from "Battling the Enemy Within".
1. Prologue

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

**Prologue**

Ever since that day, when the vengeful spirit of the king of Pokélantis had seized control over him, it had been there. The dark soul that had forcibly entered him fanned the spark of a shadow that existed within Ash Ketchum, until it became a flame. One that couldn't be doused, but was small enough to go unnoticed. And it watched, and waited; awaiting the day it would rise and grasp control. But until then, it grew, becoming more powerful.

_Hate and anger._

**Jealousy and fear.**

Heartbreak and loss.

_Despair and grief._

**Uncertainty and hesitation.**

The smorgasbord of dark human emotion fed raw power to that evil entity.

Watching.

And waiting.

Waiting for Ash to unwittingly feed it more power. Watching for the right moment, to make itself known.

**A/N: **Hey everyone! This is the prologue to my first PKMN fan fiction! (Applause now) I am a newbie to fan fiction, so there might be a little OOC-ness, but I think I understand the characters pretty well. R&R please, it keeps me writing!


	2. Chapter 1: Just Another Day

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 1: Just Another Day…**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

Something smelled like delicious stew. Ash ran into the kitchen of his childhood home in Pallet Town and was greeted by his smiling mother.

"Lunch is ready Ash!"

"Great, thanks mom!" Ash excitedly thanked her, pulling up a chair to the dining table.

His mother walked over and waved a ladle in his face before setting a steaming bowl of mouth-watering stew before her son, "No hats at the table, Ash."

Ash quickly whipped his signature red and white hat off his head of untamed black hair. Steam rose off his mothers' concoction and he greedily sniffed it all up. Just as Ash was about to close his mouth around a spoonful of the succulent stew—

"Ash!"

Someone called his name. All of a sudden, the scene froze, Ash's mother stood half-in-half-out of the refrigerator, the vapor rising off the pot on the stove paused as it snaked up towards the stove hood vent, Ash himself was stuck staring down at the hand holding the stew filled spoon aloft in his mouth.

"Ash!"

Ash was dreaming of food, Brock could tell. He lay facing Brock with a stupid grin on his face and a long line of drool dripping onto his pillow. In fact, he looked a lot like Brock did when he met a cute girl. This thought had Brock smirking and rubbing his chin, admiring his good looks in an invisible mirror. He was interrupted from his daydreaming by Dawn.

"Brock," she called over, "have you woken Ash yet?"

Brock shook his head, "No, I haven't Dawn!"

She frowned, "He sleeps like a log…"

"Sounds like one too." Brock stated.

Dawn let out an exasperated sigh, "For the last time, Brock. It's you who snores! Ash doesn't snore! _I_ don't snore! Just you!"

Brock returned to the task of awakening their companion, muttering, "Really? 'Cuz it sure sounds like you do sometimes." He leered at his own little joke.

That got him a punch in the back of his head by Dawn, she may be a girl, but she sure knew how to swing. She had a very unhappy look on her face. Brock turned to her, grasping his throbbing skull, "What was that for Dawn?" Tears waterfalled down his face. She tightened her fist and managed to say calmly enough "Don't play dumb. Don't think I can't hear you from over there either." Her face contorted into an evil glare.

Brock glanced "over there", it was eight yards away, there was a slight breeze, and today it had to be at least 80 ̊out. She could hear him through all that?

Dawn, growing impatient, leaned far over Ash and screamed right in his ear, "ASH! IF YOU DON'T HURRY THE PANCAKES WILL BE GONE!"

She pulled away just in time, Ash shot up in his sleeping bag so fast he did a somersault out. He jumped to his feet wild eyed, spotted the plate of pancakes Dawn was holding, and snatched three off the pile. Then he plopped on the ground in his signature cross-legged fashion, and started eating ravenously with his hands.

Brock nervously smiled and Dawn irately sighed. She shoved the plate into Brocks' hands' and dropped onto her knees on the ground next to him, "Here…! I give up, just eat them already we don't have forks anyway…!"

And she grabbed one and started munching on it with her bare hands as well.

…..

**Authors Note:** Not much happening in this chapter, just normal food related fights. I had to type something! *Indigently*


	3. Chapter 2: Nightmares and Nurses

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 2: Nightmares and Nurses**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

"So… what were you dreaming about, Ash? Food?"

Ash stretched his arms above him, placed his hands behind his head, and turned to Brock, "Actually, Brock, I was dreaming of mom making me some stew."

"That explains the drooling then." Dawn said sulkily.

_But that wasn't my entire dream,_ Ash turned to her—who was on his left side—and smiled sheepishly, "Are you still sulking over the whole pancake thing, Dawn?"

She _humphed!_ and crossed her arms, turning away, "I need to get to know more girls!"

He tilted his head, "What's that supposed to mean?"

But Brock got what she meant, "And if by chance you do get to know more of these girls, you wouldn't mind introducing me, right Dawn?" He eagerly asked as his eyes transformed into pink beating hearts.

Dawn didn't even bother answering his 6,000,000th perv comment. She was zoned in on Ash, he was staring down at his feet as they walked along the plains path. Leaning over a little, she tried to meet his gaze, "Ash? Are you okay? Look, I'm sorry about how I got upset at you and Brock over the pancakes."

Ash looked up with a big forced grin plastered to his—now noticeably pale features, "I—I'm okay Dawn, that silly fight didn't bother me. I was just thinking…"

_Thinking about that dream… nightmare,_ he corrected the term in his thoughts.

"Ash… Ash…! Ash!"

He looked up, startled. Dawn stood in front of him, blocking his way.

"What's up Dawn?"

Brock joined her side, now noticing Ash's condition, "Ash? Are you okay? You look a little paler than usual, and you haven't exactly been answering Dawn for the past minute."

His brown-haired friend sounded genuinely worried, but Ash tried the fake smile again, "What? C'mon guys! I'm the picture of health, no need to worry about ol' Ash, the Pokémon Master!" He thumped his chest for good measure, but his friends saw through his façade.

Dawn frowned, "I'm being serious here Ash! Read my lips: you. Do. Not. Look. Healthy. We're stopping at the next Pokémon Center for a health check."

"But—!"

"But nothing!" Dawn was standing firm with this. Both of his companions were against him, he'd have to go along with it.

They continued walking, "But Nurse Joy is so used to taking care of Pokémon, she can be a pretty scary human nurse y'know?"

And with that, they all shivered.


	4. Chapter 3: An Official Diagnosis

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 3: An Official Diagnosis**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

Ash sat on a metal examination table as Nurse Joy wrote her last observations on a "Diagnosis Sheet" fastened to her clipboard, "You may go join you're friends now Mr. Ketchum." She dismissed him, completely absorbed in her job just then.

He thankfully left the room and sat with Brock and Dawn on the seats in the waiting lounge. Nurse Joy came in minutes later, "Ash, you seem to have some poor blood circulation."

That got her a blank stare from the diagnosed boy.

"I'll explain," she said when she realized he couldn't even guess what that meant, "Circulatory system problems arise when the blood flow to arms, legs, heart and other body parts or organs is blocked by a fatty substance called plaque when it builds up. So, interrupting the blood flow through the body, the patient becomes pale, has a sluggish memory, feels a tingling in the affected areas, short on breath, cramping in muscles, and many more."

She gasped for breath after she had finished explaining, "Oh! I don't think I've ever said so much in one go…"

The trio sweat dropped.

Ash was staring at the ceiling, "Now that you mention it, my hands had started tingling earlier today, but I thought they had just fallen asleep, so I put them on the back of my head."

They all remembered, Brock had asked about Ash's dream. Dawn examined Ash out of the corner of her eye, he was staring at his shoes again, _they must be the most interesting thing in the world_. She thought sarcastically. Ash was obviously thinking about something important, something _so_ important it had him all upset about it.

Suddenly, a clock on the wall chimed, "_Arkk! 9:30! Closing time, closing time! Arkk! 9:30! Closing time, closing time!_ _Arkk_—!" And you get the point.

_When Nurse Joy leaves, I'll ask him,_ she decided.

Nurse Joy perked up, "Oop! Closing time!" She handed Brock a small bottle and a list, "Here is a bottle of aspirin, if you're friend Ash starts having pain from the blood circulation problem on the road, give him a small dosage and make for the next Pokécenter. This list lists herbs and things you can find on the road to make teas out of or grind into food." She smiled, "I read your file on the computer, you seem to have made quite a name for yourself Mr. Future Pokémon Breeder."

The next thing she knew, Brock had his hand in hers and was kneeling before the nurse with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, "And you can be the future Ms. Pokémon Breeder as well if you'll just—"

That was as far as he got before Croagunk Poison Jabbed him in the back and dragged its temporarily impaired master away from his point of interest.

Nurse Joy watched the odd pair until they disappeared from sight, then she turned to Dawn, "Will you be staying the night?"

Dawn glanced back at Ash, who seemed to be drifting off, "Yes, yes we will Nurse Joy."

She smiled, "Alright then, you should know where the trainer sleeping quarters are. But if Ash starts having any problems, don't hesitate to call me."

Dawn nodded, "We won't."

And with that, Nurse Joy turned and walked humming to her room after turning the lights off with the panel on the wall. Nurse Joy was an admirable person, wait, _persons_, there's more than one Nurse Joy. But you could waltz in here any day and tell her Ash had died and it wouldn't even faze her. She's one tough cookie.

Dawn walked over to Ash and snapped her fingers in his face a few times to wake him from his half-sleep-half-daydream. He yawned, placing a swollen hand in front of his mouth to try to block it, "Yes Dawn…?" He inquired sluggishly.

She bit her lip, he didn't look so good, maybe she shouldn't ask him about what's the bother. Not tonight anyway. The bluenette grasped his hand, "Ash, maybe you should take some of those herbal medicines now, your hand is all swollen."

Ash glanced at it, his eyes were half open, "Yeah, it is isn't it…"

Brock popped out of nowhere holding Nurse Joy's list, "I looked over the list of remedies, it also seems she included a list of symptoms as well." He knitted his eyebrows together, listing off a few, "Lower leg pain or claudicating (this is a dull cramping pain in the calf muscle that comes on after walking a certain distance - it is relieved by rest), cramping or fatigue in legs, buttocks or feet during activity, loss of sensation or numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or toes, changes in the color of the skin (it becomes more pale, bluish, or reddish- also known as cyanosis – an indication of inadequate oxygen delivery), changes in skin temperature (the hands or feet become cooler), loss of sensation in the hands and feet (Pins and needles), poor discernment of temperature and pain, infection and sores do not heal as well as they should, shortness of breath, low energy, irregular heartbeats, sluggish memory, lack of stamina—"

"Okay that's enough," Dawn interrupted him. Anxiously, they both glanced at Ash, as one could imagine, he showed more than one of these symptoms. Brock sighed, he hefted Ash up and helped support the numb boy, "C'mon Ash, you could use a good rest now." And he led him off to the trainers sleeping quarters. He turned back to her before rounding a corner, "You coming Dawn?"

"I will!" She called to him down the hall, "I'm just going to relax here for a bit."

Brock nodded, he could understand. This was big news. Nurse Joy had said that poor blood circulation was a genetic thing, but after checking his family's files, she couldn't figure how Ash had it. No one in the Ketchum family's recorded history had the problem. She suggested two ideas: One, Ash's mystery father, whom not even the medical system had a file of, may have passed it on to his son, or two, "Every genetic disease has to start with someone doesn't it?" She said, which was true, but highly improbable. Ash was a very healthy child; his crazy adventures hadn't seemed to have changed that.

Ash had asked her if it was curable, "It is," she assured him, "this sort of problem vanishes over time, you just have to deal with the pain for now."

And Ash had let out a sigh he didn't even know he was keeping in.

…..

**Authors Note:** Yay! Finally! This took _sooooo _much research, I thought my eyes were gonna' fall out. (Yikes!) By the way, Yin and Yang in this story are pronounced:

Yin (Yuh-in)

Yang (Yuh-ong) Ong as in gong

R&R please! Inspiration by comments! :3


	5. Chapter 4: The Green Oatmeal and King

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 4: The Green Oatmeal and King**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

Green, sludgy liquid that looked like someone's stomach had disagreed with their burger stared Ash in the face. He could almost feel the blue lines down the side of his face as he sniffed the goop and snatched his nose away, repulsed at it. "Brock," he asked, "what is this?"

Brock, pink apron and all, still holding a ladle, eyed the bowl in Ash's hand, "It's my signature 'Blood Stabilizer Concoction'."

Ash put it back on the table in front of him, "Concoction is right, what'd you put in there? Frogs?"

"No, actually I added many of the herbs on Nurse Joy's list to some oatmeal for you."

Ash blanched, "I—I don't even like oatmeal… much less with herbs in it…"

But Brock wasn't hearing any of it, "With this, you could last the week without eating any additional herbs!" He seemed very impressed with himself, and Ash weighed the pros and cons. There must've somehow been more pros than cons, because he started shoveling it all in his mouth. Soon, his face turned the color of his food, and he quickly spooned the last scoop between his lips, and had difficulty swallowing.

Dawn walked in yawning as Ash started chugging milk to wash the taste out of his mouth. She rubbed her left eye and faced him, "What's wrong Ash? You sick again? Your face is neon green."

"Brock is what's wrong." Ash muttered in a dark way, so unlike himself.

"Oh Daw ~ wn!" Sing-songed Brock as he danced up to her with a bowl full of nasty oatmeal all ready for consumption, "I made some for you too!"

The sleep disappeared from her eyes and glancing at the bowl, she put two and two together to make four. Brock had fed Ash this… sewage, and now he looked as though he wanted to barf. Dawn smiled nervously, "Actually Brock, I already had a breakfast bar…"

Brock pouted, "I'll just have to leave this for Nurse Joy then…" He couldn't resist adding with dreamy eyes, "with LOVE!"

_I doubt Nurse Joy will eat this…_ Ash and Dawn thought simultaneously.

…..

Ash didn't know why, today he just felt like… like… being _mean_. This surprised him, he hardly ever felt this way, and never for no reason. _Maybe it's my blood circulation problem going to my brain…_ he reflected.

_Hopefully it's something like that…_ Some deeper part of him thought.

Dawn couldn't even imagine why, but Ash was acting strange today. Not just the staring off into space strange that had developed the day before, but he was so ill-tempered, like he was cross with someone.

_It could be Brock,_ she thought, _he made him eat that horrible food._

But Ash was never one to be put off by something like that. His cheerful banter had evaporated out of him in one night. She gasped as she realized something and leaned over to Brocks ear, "Do you think Ash is upset about his new condition?" She whispered, "He's been so moody…" The two had fallen behind him, but Ash didn't notice, he was staring at his shoes, _again_.

Brock shrugged, "Could be, but Ash doesn't seem to be worried about that, you can just tell." He was right; usually, one can tell what another is thinking about, even just vaguely. Ash was not thinking about his health, that was for sure. Dawn sighed, her friend had become so hard to decipher lately, if he was scared or angry, she wished he would tell her instead of this cold silence.

Brock was thinking along the same lines, he ran up to Ash, "Hey Ash, are you feeling better today? I—" He had reached out a hand to set on Ash's shoulder, but he reacted violently, slapping the hand away as if it held snakes. He glared hard at Brock, a gleam in his eye Brock had only seen once before…

When he had been possessed by the King of Pokélantis.

Brock was in shock, not knowing what to do, he stood there as Ash walked on and Dawn joined him. "Brock! Are you okay? He really got you there—"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her close, normally, Dawn wouldn't have allowed that, but she knew Brock was doing this for an important reason. He leaned over the slightest bit to get closer to her ear and still not look conspicuous. "Dawn," he whispered, "we _need_ to stop soon, I'll explain later."

She nodded, "Okay."

There was no one left smiling in the once enthusiastic group, no one save the deadly smirk that unknowingly appeared on a sorrel-eyed trainers' features.

…..

**Authors Note:** Has the King arisen again? What is Ash's nightmare? Did Nurse Joy eat the oatmeal?

Why am I asking these questions? I wrote the story.

B.T.W. I do not intend for any pairings to happen in this Fan Fiction.


	6. Chapter 5: Is the King Really Gone?

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 5: Is the King Really Gone?**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

"So why did you want to stop Brock?"

They had paused for a rest in a camp site along the path they were taking through the prairie. Ash had wandered off somewhere while Brock and Dawn sat to discuss important matters, such as the possibility of Ash going bad.

Brock glanced around to make sure they were alone and said in a low voice, "I told you about what happened at the Battle Pyramid, right?"

Dawn nodded; he had told her that Ash had been possessed by the spirit of the King of Pokélantis, and how it took May, Max, Brock, and the Frontier Brain and Battle Pyramid owner Brandon to finally pull it out of him. They all assumed that the King's spirit was trapped in the stone orb where it had come from in the first place, and where Brandon had absorbed it to after defeating the King.

Brock leaned closer to her, "Ash has the same look in his eye now."

Dawn felt a twinge in her stomach, "Do you mean to say… you think he's still in Ash?"

"I don't know, but we need to be careful around him from now on."

She was all frantic now, first the blood problem, now _this_? Ash was slowly deteriorating, leaving behind a trainer they didn't know. _Oh Ash, what's happening to you?_

…..

Ash was glad that Brock had suggested a rest, his head was throbbing, his legs were cramping, he was hardly aware of where he was. He leaned against a tree for support, _what's going on…?_

Sliding down the tree, he found himself sitting on the ground. He wanted to lie down and sleep, but he felt short of breath, and his heart felt like it was doing jumping jacks. He pleaded with it, _please slow down…_ All of his thoughts seemed to drift off at the end, drift off to his nightmare again.

It was like the memories were hurting him, he would remember, then feel increased pain. Ash tried to clench his hand, but it was all tingly. _Maybe I should return to Dawn and Brock._

With difficulty, he finally stood up from his previous sitting position. Through half closed eyes, it was hard to make out the path, but he eventually found it.

When he entered the camp site, emerging from the tall grasses of the meadow, he spotted his two friends—backs turned to him—having a conversation; _I should probably apologize for what I did to Brock earlier today too…_

They noticed his arrival, and turned. "Brock, I—" He was about to apologize, when suddenly a volcano of heat erupted into his face, and he blacked out.

…..

They rushed over, "Ash! Ash are you okay?" Dawn got no response from the boy.

Brock turned to her from Ash's other side, "He's out cold, or should I say warm?" He had a hand on Ash's forehead, "He's burning up! We have to get him somewhere with help now!"

Dawn agreed, and helped Brock place Ash on his back. Making sure he was firmly in place, they started with a dash down the path. Unfortunately, it didn't seem as if they would encounter civilization for a while, but they doggedly kept on.

Ash, no matter how much he changed, would always be their friend. Now, he needed help, so that's what they would do.

…..

**Authors Note:** Chapter 5, complete! *Big sigh* Hey, there's a new opinion poll on my profile anyone can vote on about Ash's dream, I mean, nightmare. VOTE NOW! Yes, please do.

Remember: I love your reviews! :3


	7. Chapter 6: The Grapes of Peace

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 6: The Grapes of Peace**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

Airini leaned on the dash and played with the radio dial with a bored look on her face. She turned to her brother, Concord, who was at the wheel.

"Why did we have to go to a festival so far from home, Concord?" She complained.

He didn't take his eyes off the road, "Because it's a family tradition."

"That's your answer to everything, Grape." She used his nickname, pouting.

With that, they continued riding in silence. Although the sounds coming from their rusting truck were loud, they didn't count. After about an hour of that, Airini leaned forward in her seat and rubbed her eyes, she thought she just had a speck in her vision, but it wasn't.

"Hey Concord," she said, "I think there are some people up there."

As they got closer, they saw a girl and a boy running along the right side of the path, the boy was carrying a limp person on his back. Airini turned to her brother, "You think they need help?"

Concord shrugged and kept driving, when they got close, he pulled up alongside them. Airini rolled down her window, "Do you guys need any help?"

The blue-haired girl was leaning over, panting hard, as was the brown-haired boy. Concord glanced at the boys; the raven-haired boy that was being carried didn't appear to be conscious. The girl looked up, meeting gazes with Airini, "Please!" she puffed, "Our friend is sick! We need to get him help!"

Airini's eyes flashed, healing was her specialty, and the boy looked as if he needed some fast. She got out of her family's truck, with the peeling blue paint, and opened the trunk, "You guys can ride to our house."

They gratefully climbed in and gently laid their friend down between them, then she closed the trunk and said, "You might want to hang on, this truck's old, it can get pretty shaky."

And she was right.

…..

They rode with the truck drivers to their house, by the time they got there, Dawns hair looked as though it had gone through a tornado, and Brock felt as though his butt had broken. But they held Ash as in-place as they could during the whole ride. He didn't seem to be getting any better, if anything, he was getting worse. Mumbling things in his sleep was only one of the things he did in this feverish state.

The lady opened the trunk door, "We're here!" She stated cheerfully, she reached for Ash, to help get him out, but the moment she touched him, she flinched away as if she had been shocked, "What the…" she mumbled.

She turned to her left and called, "Concord! Come lift this boy out! I can't do it!"

Concord, as she called him, appeared and hefted Ash out of the trunk. He had startlingly pale skin and black hair, and a pendant handing around his neck that looked like half of a Ying and Yang symbol. The lady on the other hand, had darker skin and blond hair, also with a pendant around her neck. She wore a light blue tank top and dark blue shorts, and Concord wore a green and blue sleeveless Chinese looking jacket and long cream colored pants. Concord's eyes were a shade of very, _very_ light blue, almost white, while the blond lady had very,_ very_ dark brown eyes, almost black.

_What an odd pair,_ thought Brock.

The two began walking towards their house, Brock and Dawn followed. The land the house was on was something to behold as well, they lived way out in the country, on all sides the structure was surrounded by the golden grasses of the prairie land, right up to the front door. There were wind chimes hanging from a single tree to the left side of the house, making a wonderful sound, and a small creek ran out of the meadow in the back, than bubbled back into the vast land. One could hear nothing but the wind as it stirred in the peaceful silence that enveloped the place.

The house was basically a raised platform with a box on top of it, and panels that slid around and served as walls. Brock believed it was traditional Japanese design. The front door… or panel maybe, had a window in it in the shape of a Ying and Yang symbol. Concord slid the panel aside with ease, despite the fact he was carrying Ash Ketchum, and stepped out of his shoes. Dawn realized they were the lightweight slip on kind of shoes that hugged your feed but still felt nice. The lady did the same, as did Dawn and Brock.

Once they had entered, the lady turned to them and grinned, "Welcome to our humble home! While I tend to your friend, would you like anything? Tea maybe?"

Brock and Dawn glanced at each other, this could be interesting.

…..

**Authors Note:** So, the polls still there, vote! What do you think of Airini and Concord Yi? Airini means peace in Chinese, Concord means harmony in English (it also is a type of grape, hence the nickname "Grape"), and Yi means harmony in Chinese.

Review please everyone! ^^'


	8. Chapter 7: Devastating News

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 7: Devastating News**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

Ash's friends sat to the right of Airini who kneeled to the left of Ash. They were sipping at cups of tea as she examined their friend, whom she had laid on a mat on the floor. Concord had then come in and covered all but his head in a lightweight sheet made specifically for soaking up sweat, letting air in and out, trapping heat under it, and keeping the cloth cool. It was everything they needed in one, "My grandmother made it." Airini had said.

They had introduced themselves as Airini Yi and Concord Yi; they were Chinese herbalists, as was all of their linage. Natural healing and subjects such as Yin-Yang were their specialty. Both of them were twenty, they were twins. Concord hardly ever spoke; his sister did all the talking for him.

Currently, she was inspecting Ash, after doing a lot of stuff that looked like what Nurse Joy would do—minus the machines—she placed her hand on his forehead and then let it hover just above the surface of his skin for a few minutes. She bit her lip until it bled.

"That bad, huh?" Her brother solemnly asked.

She nodded, still biting her lip.

Dawn couldn't stand it any longer, "What's bad? What's wrong with Ash?"

Brock looked up from his book and cup of tea, "Yes Airini, what is wrong with him?"

Airini looked up, "Ash has excess Ying."

"And… is that bad?" Dawn and Brock asked at the same time.

Airini sweat dropped, "Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know what that is." And she launched into an explanation, "Yin is anything like nighttime, the moon, and foods that cool or calm you down. Yang is anything opposite of Yin, like the daytime, the sun, and foods that are warm or energize you to more extent than food normally would." She held up her cup of tea, "For example, tea is a Yin food and sweet rice"—she held up the bowl of sweet rice she had left for us to munch on—"is a Yang food."

"When people see things as beautiful,  
ugliness is created.  
When people see things as good,  
evil is created.

Being and non-being produce each other.  
Difficult and easy complement each other.  
Long and short define each other.  
High and low oppose each other.  
Fore and aft follow each other." Concord recited.

Airini nodded approvingly to her brother, then turned to her guests, "Yin-Yang is basically just saying 'opposites depend on each other's existence'." She faced Ash again, "Your friend Ash has too much Yang in his body, so we need to balance it out with Yin."

Brock nodded, "It makes sense, I was comparing Nurse Joy's list to a list of Yin foods you gave me, and I realized that much of what was on her list was also considered a Yang food. Before this, Ash had a blood circulation problem and was often cold and pale. Now he's overheating and turning red. They're opposites and now I see, yesterday, Ash had too much Yin, today, he has too much Yang."

Airini was biting her lip and staring at the floor along with her brother now, "What's wrong Airini?" Dawn didn't like the look on her face. It was the look of someone who didn't want to break bad news to you.

She looked up and met the dual pair of eyes inquiring her, "I realized that Ash has had a teeter-totter effect been going on in him for a few weeks now, either too much Yin or too much Yang, and never quite in the median." She sighed, "If this goes on he'll be sick for the rest of his life. A body can't handle that shift all at once for weeks on end.

"You said he had collapsed suddenly and developed a raging fever right then, that was the teeter-totter I was talking about. If he doesn't find balance in himself soon…" she trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

She reached out and flipped the cool cloth on Ash's forehead over. She gestured to her brother, "You three may have to stay here awhile, Concord will show you to a room."

He stood and walked out into the hall, peeking back in he said, "Don't worry, my sister's the best herbalist we've had in the family since the first generation, she'll cure him!" He smiled.

Dawn weakly smiled back and Brock just sipped his tea as they followed him out the door.

…..

**Authors Note: **The poll is _still _there. Vote, vote, vote! Vote now! ^^' (I'm too excited for my own good…)

Readers: (Gasp) What's gonna' happen to Ash?

WLI: IDK, what am I? The author?

For my PKMN story, recently re-titled _The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum_, I am looking for someone exceptionally good at writing Pokémon Battle sequences. I suck at those, and in upcoming chapters, I will need some. The job would be simple; I'll tell you what time this is set in (so you'll know what Pokémon Ash & Co. had at the time), what the main gist of the battle is, and what the outcome would be. You would write (or type) it up like you would a play (Ex. Ash: Razor leaf Turtwig! [Turtwig razor leafs]), we would communicate via e-mail or PM's, you're choice. I'm afraid I have nothing to offer in exchange for this job, but I will give you credit in the Authors Notes for writing the battle sequence.


	9. Chapter 8: Reunited, a Mini Chapter

**The Yin and Yang of Ash Ketchum**

**Chapter 8: Reunited, a Mini Chapter**

**By WarriorLoverInc**

It was sometime around midnight, Concord loved midnight. Not because it was dark, but because the moon was like a bright lantern in the sky with firefly-like stars hovering around it's glow. He preferred Yang while his sister preferred Yin. He eyed a few strands of black hair that had stirred into his face, which was the everlasting reminder that he needed a balance of both to be at peak performance. He took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, tuning into the earth and it's rhythms as he meditated on the porch with the wind chimes in view.

Suddenly, his peace was interrupted by a rustling in the grass. What could it be? It sounded like something was making its way towards the house. Slowly, without any sudden movements, Concord stood and retrieved his staff from the floor next to him. Standing armed on the porch, he was ready for anything but the sight that met his eyes. A Pikachu stumbled out of the grass at the edge of the porch. It limped, there were cuts and bruises all over its body, and one eye was swollen shut. But still, it somehow managed to jump onto the porch and dash through the open panel into the house.

"H—hey! You can't go in there!" Concord called dumbfounded after it. There were no Pikachu's in this area, and this one had been injured by something.

It ran though the houses hallways panting, "Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika—!" When it reached the doorway to the sick room, the Pikachu shoved its little paw between the door and frame and slid the panel aside.

Moonlight poured through the open doorway and onto Ash's face, illuminating his reddish skin. None of the noise or light woke him. The Pikachu, realizing Ash wouldn't wake up soon, quietly walked over, and got comfortable on his chest.

By the time Concord arrived, Pikachu was fast asleep, and Ash had stopped mumbling in his slumber. He smiled, someone had sent this Pikachu to balance out the amount of Yin in the atmosphere, and it had already done well for the sickly boy.

So he closed the door on the tranquil pair.

…..

**Authors Note:** Like, halfway through chapter eight, I realized, "WTH, I forgot all about Pikachu!" So I made this Mini Chapter to re-introduce Pikachu into my story. What happened to him? That's for me to know and you to find out… soon… maybe never…

R&R please! I love what readers have to say! :3


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